Taking Care of an Injured Lip or Tongue

Posted January 8, 2016.

It’s not uncommon for a blow to the face or a fall to cause injury to your lip or tongue. If an emergency like this happens, it’s important to stay calm. If the injury is severe you should consider calling 911 or visiting the emergency room.

Start by gently wiping away any blood from lip or chin with a wet washcloth. This will help you get a better idea of how serious the injury is. Rinsing your mouth with lukewarm salt water can help remove blood and any linger debris in the mouth, while also soothing sensitive tissues. If the bleeding persists you can lightly pack the area with sterile gauze.

If you have issues with swelling, you can hold a cold compress on your lip. To make a cold compress simply place ice in a zip-top bag wrapped in a washcloth or tea towel. You can then hold it to your face for 15 to 20 minutes at a time.

If you have bitten through your tongue and it won’t stop bleeding, you can wrap it a few layers of sterile gauze around the wound and lightly press your tongue to the roof of your mouth. This pressure can sometimes help stop the bleeding. Try not to swallow too much blood as this can lead to an upset stomach and nausea.

If you have you have additional questions or would like to schedule an appointment should call us at 972-727-0737.